Formation and Differentiation of Multiple Mesenchymal Lineages during Lung Development Is Regulated by β-catenin Signaling

The role of beta-catenin signaling in mesodermal lineage formation and differentiation has been elusive. Methodology. To define the role of beta-catenin signaling in these processes, we used a Dermo1(Twist2)(Cre/+) line to target a floxed beta-catenin allele, throughout the embryonic mesenchyme. Strikingly, the Dermo1(Cre/+); beta-catenin(f/-) conditional Knock Out embryos largely phenocopy Pitx1(-/-)/Pitx2(-/-) double knockout embryos, suggesting that beta-catenin signaling in the mesenchyme depends mostly on the PITX family of transcription factors. We have dissected this relationship further in the developing lungs and find that mesenchymal deletion of beta-catenin differentially affects two major mesenchymal lineages. The amplification but not differentiation of Fgf10-expressing parabronchial smooth muscle progenitor cells is drastically reduced. In the angioblast-endothelial lineage, however, only differentiation into mature endothelial cells is impaired. Conclusion. Taken together these findings reveal a hierarchy of gene activity involving beta-catenin and PITX, as important regulators of mesenchymal cell proliferation and differentiation.